Return
by Ayeka Penor
Summary: This fic is Sailor Moon and Gundam Wing. It's 3524 years after the founding of Crystal Tokyo. The Senshi and pilots have come back...but reincarnation can have twists. Who will be the new King of Crystal Tokyo! {ON HOLD}
1. Crystal Clear

Author's Note: I'm finally back. It's been a LOOONG time since I last posted any new stories, but I'm going to try to keep this one alive for ya. And just FYI, the Unian race in this fic is my own, not something from another anime. I don't know how much of a role it'll play yet, but probably not much of one. WARNING: Characters have been reincarnated and may be prone to being a little  ooc.

            ~The year is 3524 CM, 5724 AD, and by some miracle the human race has survived. The Jurai Empire is a shadow of its former self, the result of several attempts to depose the royal family and the introduction of the Unians from a neighboring galaxy. Earth's silver age has fallen, the queens of Crystal Tokyo losing their power and prestige much like the Numenorean Kings from Tolkien. The last gasp of the Silver Millennium came when the Unians came in and succeeded in destroying the peaceful world that had lost its most powerful warriors to the land of myths. The Unians have been struggling to obtain the Juraian home world to acquire the power of its trees, but have been held back on the frontiers of the Jurai Empire by its current ruler, Empress Ayeka. Earth and the rest of the Solar System are under the control of the ruling duke, Duke Otel of the Unian royal family. We start in a city formerly known as Crystal Tokyo…

            Deirdre glared at the speech crystal and shoved it back in its drawer. She closed the bureau with such force that the layers of dust on it were disturbed and rained down on her from above making her eyes itch. More cross than ever, she opened the next drawer and checked the crystals there. Finding a couple of promising candidates, she took the crystals and went to one of the desks set up in the basement of the Crystal Tokyo Observatory of Humanity. The resources were originally meant for Unians, but in the past few generations humans had begun to visit as well. Unlike the other two races they shared the galaxy with, they lived short lives, a hundred years was ancient for a human but childhood for Unians and Juraians. Along with these short life spans came an easy loss of memory. Now Deirdre was working on regaining some of her people's lost knowledge.

            She set the crystals on the light table and tapped the side. The crystals inside came to life and began to glow. These tables were poor comparisons to what Crystal Tokyo had been capable of, but the Unians would never admit their incompetence. Deirdre shoved a couple books out of the way and studied the crystals in her neatly manicured hands. She'd taken to wearing her nails long and blood red recently. In the text before her, the color of these crystals indicated they had been used by the Queens of Pluto and Venus. The problem was these particular crystals had no markings to indicate which generation of those two lines had used them. Deirdre had come here in search of humanity's memories, and she _would_ find them.

            Picking up the crystal that was the same color as her nails, she looked at it carefully. It was transparent, clear as glass, with no obvious circuits to show how it had worked. Deirdre held the crystal in both hands and rested her elbows on the desk. "This is getting me nowhere…" she muttered. 

            Then she thought she heard music, like a music box. Deirdre looked up and noticed her hands were glowing red. She opened them slowly to see the crystal was shining. Looking around to make sure no one was nearby, she centered her attention on the crystal and waited. What felt like hours later, the crystal projected an image of a woman in a sailor fuku with an extremely short skirt and a staff. 

            The woman smiled. "Be well! I am Queen Pluto, fifth of that name and supposedly the last of my line. While my future sight is uncertain and not as clear as that of my predecessors, I have reason to believe the end of the Serenitys' rule will come in the next hundred years. If this is so, then I also believe this information will help secure the rebirth of humanity into a golden age. 

            "In the remains of the crystal palace there is a key. This key has been charged by my powers to bring in all the necessary help. This crystal will only activate once my heart has stopped and the garnet rod has returned to Pluto. I charge you with this quest: Find the Senshi, who will be reborn in body and soul, and find their champions. Without all of the pieces, the puzzle will never be complete." Then the picture faded and Deirdre was left with a crystal once more. It had changed, however, and was now round and opaque instead of clear. 

            Deirdre gulped and looked at the other crystal nervously. "Maybe not." She put the orange crystal in its box and put it back in the drawer. As she closed it, she noticed the spot where the red crystal had been was now neatly filled in with extra boxes. Had something slipped when she closed the drawer? 

            She then took the crystal and her books and left the basement. As she walked down the street of the shattered remains of Crystal Tokyo, her hand strayed to the red orb in her coat pocket. A crisp, fall breeze blew and pulled a few strands out of her dark green braid. Her feet knew the way home, so she let her mind wander down its many paths as she reflected on her 'mission.' Where would she start? How was she supposed to find these Senshi people? Well, she should probably start with a network search to find out what the originals looked like.

            Deirdre took a sip of coffee and looked at the TV screen. Well, there was nothing to watch. Then she remembered her resolve to do a search and make some progress on her quest. Sitting in front of her computer, she pushed the button to connect her to the global network. Much to her regret, humans were not permitted access to the Unian Empire's universal network. A few keystrokes later, Deirdre found herself looking at a very in-depth description of the founding of Crystal Tokyo. "…and the Sailor Senshi became the Queens of their respective planets, each possessing a court of her own and a palace on her home world. Upon the weakening of the family powers, these lesser courts were abandoned and they were moved to the Imperial Palace in Crystal Tokyo with only a few retainers each…" It went on and on. Finally, Deirdre found what she was looking for.

            There was a large 2D image near the bottom of the first page. The entire court was posed there with their children. Deirdre felt her stomach clench as she looked into the sad, red eyes that matched hers so well. "Wha— I'm one of the…" She looked at the list of names at the bottom and gulped. "I'm Queen Pluto, like the woman in the crystal." 

            After putting the image in a pocket-sized projector, Deirdre went to the phone and made a few calls. Tomorrow she would need all kinds of safety equipment, because the Crystal Palace could crumble at any time.


	2. My Defence: They've Switched Places in t...

Author's Note: To start off this new chapter I'll give you a list of who is who. By now you should have guessed that Deirdre is Setsuna (Trista for dubbies) and the rest of our cast is introduced below. Think of my changing their names as this; they were different when they were reborn the first time so nyah!

P.S. – Juni Juni, this chappie is for you as the story's first reviewer!

Min Jung – Hotaru              Aaron – Quatre

Anisa – Haruka                        John – Wufei

Cerise – Michiru             Travis – Trowa

Ursa – Usagi                            Dom – Duo

Amalia – Ami                           Kenneth – Heero

Kei – Rei                                  Darin – Mamoru

Flora – Minako                        Cyrus – Treize

Esta – Makoto                         Armand – Millardo

                                                ?????? - ??????

(Please keep in mind that these names were listed randomly and I have not decided what pairings may take place. If you have any opinions, tell me and I will try to make people happy.)

            Deirdre cursed and gingerly picked up her hands. The railing on the stairs was covered with fine slivers of crystal, and they had cut her hand. She decided to put on the rest of the safety equipment before she went any further, and used her water bottle to washout her cuts before putting on the gloves. The remains of whatever power had caused the walls to glow only dimly lighted the lower floors of the Crystal Palace. At night the Palace would glow faintly or shine like a beacon at random, and today didn't look to be one of its good days. After all the trouble of getting the clearance to rummage through the ruins, the damn thing could have bothered to help a bit.

            Her footsteps echoed off the walls as she headed down the hallway at the bottom of the steps. This was the last floor on the map she'd acquired, but it didn't look like the basement. The remains of tables and artwork were still where they had some to rest after the Unian invasion. Some had broken from the shockwave that had weakened the Palace's structure enough to force the occupants to flee. Now Deirdre was wandering through its passages, the first human in fifteen years. As she wandered around, looking for vault doors or boxes, she noticed in the back of her mind that there was no dust anywhere. The rug under her feet was still a warm pink and the painting she'd just passed looked as fresh and colorful as the day it had been painted. 

            The hall was a dead end. Deirdre let out a sigh of disgust and turned back to look at the way she'd just come. There had been no doors or other halls off this one. What was the purpose of this level, then? 

            Deirdre decided to snoop around a bit longer and paid close attention to the detail of the walls. There were no designs on the crystalline surfaces, but she eventually found herself staring at one section. The wall seemed slightly brighter here, maybe that was a sign that the key was hidden behind it. Deirdre looked around for some kind of button to press. Nothing. Okay, maybe all she had to do was shove it. Nothing. Would hitting it with a toolbox cause the whole Palace to collapse?

            She glared at the wall. Maybe this wasn't it. As she turned to continue her inspection, there was a grinding noise. Deirdre turned back around to see the wall opposite the one she'd been pushing against open. "Hunh?"

            The room looked like a temple or church, except there were nine pews set in a circle all facing one another. The room was huge, and the fact that it was underground didn't even occur it first because it was as if the sun itself had come to worship. On a pedestal in the middle of the room was a key. Deirdre held her breath as she went in. Her boots made thunking noises on the floor, and she hesitated before putting her toolbox down. The floor was a complex mosaic of different colored crystals. She felt like she could feel the ocean and wind, hear the fire crackle and the thunder boom, while she was safe and secure at home with her loved ones. It was an amazing thing. 

            The key shone with its own light, charged with purpose. Deirdre reached out and picked it up and froze. Nothing happened. "How am I—" there was a flash of light from the key and she felt her feet leave the floor. It was only the briefest of seconds, because suddenly she was standing in a world of gray. The only solid thing she could see was a huge gate made out of strange stone. Floating in front of the gate were three items. There was a tall wand, a golden scimitar, and a hand mirror. The wand looked a little odd, but there was a quick flash of light and the red crystal from before appeared in the heart shape at the top. 

            Deirdre looked around and sighed. Her toolbox was gone, but the key was still sitting in her hand. Guessing that she needed to take the wand, she reached out and picked it up. The staff fit her hand well and had a reassuring weight. Then Deirdre reached out and took the scimitar and mirror as well. Her hands full, she looked at the gate. Going on a hunch, she held up the hand with the key and wand and said, "Take me to the basement of the Crystal palace! Open!" The gate slowly opened and revealed more mist. Deirdre decided to go for it and stepped through.

            Ursa Lowe looked at her report crystal and sighed. Her blond hair done up in its two buns with the tail end hanging down to her knees, seemed to lose its hold and one bun fell out. She sat up straight at her desk and raised her hands up to redo her hair. "Gods bless it! That's the third time today," she said. There was a knock at the door and she turned to see her sister's head peek in. 

            "Are you ready to go? The professor will only give us credit if we're on time," Flora said. She also had blond hair and blue eyes, except her hair was typically up in a bow, which was green today. 

            Ursa got up and grabbed her bag. "Are you ready?"

            Flora scoffed. "Of course! Now hurry up."

            Ursa checked the clock above her bunk and stopped. "We still have half an hour! It takes no more than ten minutes to get to Jupiter hall!"

            Flora gave her older sister a smile. "You know I'm late if I'm not early." Ursa sighed and closed the door to their room. On the walk from their dorm to the lecture hall Ursa did her best to keep her sister from speed walking into people in her haste. 

            Finally (or too soon, take your pick) they arrived at 218 Jupiter Hall. There were five students in the room so far and about a hundred empty seats. Flora grinned as she took a seat beside her sister. "See? Now aren't you glad I'm here to take care of you?"

            Ursa chuckled. "Take care of me? I can do that very well myself, thank-you! I have managed to survive here for two years already." They were both enrolled in Planetaria University in Crystal Tokyo. Ursa, the eldest was a junior with a major in government, mostly the history thereof. Flora was a freshman and undecided. They were roomed together at their parents' request, but surviving the experience. 

            The day's lecture was the history of Crystal Tokyo and it's founding. What the sisters didn't know was that it was going to change their lives in a deeper way than just extra credit for their classes. 

            Ten minutes later, the rest of the students came in. When the person giving the lecture arrived, no one noticed because they were all chatting. It wasn't until she stepped up to the podium that they realized the young woman with green hair was Miss Deirdre O'Neil. Her red eyes scanned the room as she waited for the shuffling feet and voices to fade. She smiled and said, "Good afternoon. Today I'll be giving you the lecture on Crystal Tokyo that you won't find in your text or on the Network. Today I will shatter whatever you thought you knew about the birth of Crystal Tokyo and the Silver Millennium."

            A few students leaned forward. What could she have to say that could possibly contradict what they'd heard? She smiled slyly and placed a round, red crystal on the top of the podium. "During the Silver Millennium and the rule of Queen Serenity I, this was a common enough item." She waved a hand over it and there were several gasps as the crystal glowed and a hologram of the Crystal Palace appeared. It had to be a recent image, because the towers were crumbling and the buildings all around were made of other materials than crystal. "This is the Crystal Palace in our time. It was an amazing feet of architectural magic in its day, and is the last of its kind in our time."

            She then waved her hand over the crystal, changing the image to a display of yearbook photos. "First, the beloved queen, who was born Tsukino Usagi."

            Ursa and Flora stared. The girl in the old, 2D picture could have easily been Ursa as a high school student. "She has the same hair as me," Ursa said quietly.

            Flora nodded. "And the same eyes, the same face. She _is_ you! Wow, maybe we're related to her somehow."

            As the two girls to the left daydreamed about becoming queens, Deirdre continued with her lecture. Eventually she said, "Next is Queen Venus, or Aino Minako. Before becoming a Senshi at her friend's side she was the beloved Sailor V in England." The girls traded looks again.

            "Maybe we're related to both of them?" Flora offered. Ursa shrugged. They took a few notes, more to look like diligent students than because they needed them. While she made no sign of it during the presentation, Deirdre had noticed the two blonds and was keeping an eye on them. Their reactions were all she could have hoped for. This lecture wasn't only for their benefit, though. She watched as some students nodded off to sleep, and a few had also taken note of the resemblance between their classmates and the queens.

            Then Deirdre took a deep breath and brought up her reputation killer. "The last of the Senshi, Queen Pluto, was not born at the same time as her companions. She was still around from the previous battle that had killed her comrades and her queen. For thousands of years she guarded the gates of time, and as a result she didn't go to high school and I don't have a mug shot. I do have a portrait of the entire court, which has the great fortune to include her." She waved her hand and the picture she'd first seen on the net came up. 

            There was dead silence. Those students that were awake did a few looks back and forth. Deirdre smiled. "Amazing resemblance, isn't it? However, I am not thousands of years old and the Senshi were not killed in combat to be sent into the future to be reborn." She waved her hand over the crystal and slipped it back into her pocket. Had they believed her? "Any questions?"

            Flora raised her hand. Deirdre's eyes shimmered. "Yes?"

            "How did you find any of this information?"

            Deirdre smiled. "I have spent over half my life in museums' basements and have done some digging around in the ruins of the Crystal Palace. The information is all there for those who will use it." It was mostly a sidestepping of the question. With the Time Staff had come knowledge. Stepping through the time gate had sealed her fate and opened her mind.

            Another student raised his hand. "How does that crystal work? I thought all that knowledge was lost."

            This was also an expected question. "I found the crystal in the Palace and figured out how to use it through trial and error. Any more questions?" Nothing. "Then have a nice day." There was some muffled applause as students gathered their things. Deirdre hadn't been expecting much interest, but she was just sewing the seeds. In time, if Crystal Tokyo were to rise again, just that little bit of hope might be enough. 

            As the students left, Deirdre used her newly discovered Senshi powers to blend in anonymously and track the two girls. Ursa and Flora had no idea they were being followed until someone tapped them on their shoulders. When they turned, they saw Deirdre smiling at them. "I couldn't help but noticed that you stayed awake for my lecture."

            Flora smiled, a little nervous. "Well, the pictures of the Senshi were pretty cool. I never knew they were once normal people like us. It's never mentioned, who they were before they became the magic-wielding women of justice, I mean."

            Ursa nodded. "Yeah. It's kind of interesting to have their beginnings as humble nobodies. Then you wonder about the history of the Unian and Jurai Empires' rulers."

            Deirdre nodded. "Yes, yes, it's good to question, but do it quietly. While we are pretty much left on our own, it's wise to remember we're not in control." Then she took out a couple of discs and handed them to the students. "Contact me sometime, or I'll call you. Remember what you've seen here." Then she walked away.

AN: I was hoping to get to the pilots in this chapter, but I'm running out of time. The next chapter will bring in the boys! Ja ne.

::As a side note, this is the revised copy. I changed it a teensy bit after Juni Juni's review. Thank-you!


	3. A Little Dinner Never Hurt Anybody

Author's Note: La ti da, I love writing fanfics. Must add that to the list:

            Josh Groban(singer—not just your grandmother's music!)

             chocolate

            clouds

            manga

            writing fanfiction

             sleep(or maybe that's first…)

            Deirdre looked at the crowd in her living room and sighed. She'd taken five trips through the time gate to find her wayward Senshi, and now they were chatting over tea and cookies. Of course, only half her job was done. Deirdre looked at the picture projected from a stationary image holder. It was the portrait of the original court, but there weren't enough men around to account for the positions she'd been told they would fill. 

            A young man with brown bangs over one of his green eyes looked at the invitation in his hand. He and his comrades had been invited to a special ceremony at the Unian Embassy for no apparent reason. After a week of questions, they had yet to find out who had asked to invite them. Whoever it was, they had agreed to find out tonight. He gave himself a second look in the mirror. The tux was the standard black and white, in contrast with recent fashion, which included embroidery on the edges of everything. It was a reminder to Travis of the Unian culture's effects on his native people.

            He jumped on his motorcycle and closed the hatch. It was basically half a car, but all of the members of Travis' group had these for their speed and maneuverability. He revved the engine and took off. His arrival to the embassy was met with a red carpet and press. Silently cursing, he allowed the valet to take the keys and got out with his trademark half smile. "Mr. Gill! Mr. Gill! Over here!" Photographers called to him as he made his way past, nodding his head from time to time and silently steaming. Was this all part of some publicity stunt for the Unian Empire?

            Inside, he gave his invitation to the security officer at the entrance and made his way into the dining room. Several long tables had been set up perpendicular to the longest that was on the far side of the room on a raised platform. The lack of a podium eased Travis' fears of immediate boredom, and he looked around. It took him only a few moments to find a couple of his friends standing near a palm tree.

            They looked up and made room for him in their circle. "Hey guys, find anything yet?" he asked in his typical, bored tone.

            Aaron shook his head. "Nothing. We have seats together at the table on the end over there, but other than us it's all military and politicians. The ambassador looked almost as surprised to see us as we were to get those invitations."

            John examined whatever vintage was in his glass as he said, "Somebody probably made a mistake, simple as that." Then he threw his head back and drank the rest of the glass's contents. He smiled. "At least the wine is good. This stuff has got to be from that dry summer we had a few years back…" His companions rolled their eyes. John was barely old enough to drink, but he had sharp taste buds for alcoholic beverages. It was probably natural to him; his father owned a region of land in the French province that included some of the world's finest grape vines.

            Another one of their pals showed up, his long braid standing out amongst all the baldheads and toupees. Dom grinned and said, "I don't think they meant to invite the whole team." They nodded. The 'team' Dom was referring to was their racing team. The whole lot of them were racecar drivers from the same team, Twilight. 

            Deirdre eyed the group of young men across the room. She smiled and nodded at whatever the woman in front of her was saying. If the gate had done its job right, then these guys had to be the ones she was looking for. Finding the Senshi and their champions would have been impossible using mundane methods. While Deirdre expected her command over the gate of time to have improved with use, it seemed to be just as difficult as ever. She caught a flash of what might have been a vision, but it faded from her mind like a dream upon waking. Where was this mystic foresight she was supposed to possess?

            A bell was rung and the guests filed over to their respective seats. Deirdre placed herself beside one of the late arrivals, Armand, and smiled at him. He eyed her warily and she cursed her openness. As the meal was served, she said, "I didn't expect to receive an invitation to such an important function as this, how did you get in?"

            Armand gave her a look out of the corner of his eyes. "I actually received my invitation in the mail, as per usual." He sipped his wine and Deirdre felt her nerves tingle. This guy was going to be difficult. His attitude probably came from being a celebrity. Even the bookworm Deirdre knew about racing. It was a very popular source of entertainment for humans and Unians. 

            Trying to introduce the subject from another angle, she asked, "Do you plan on participating in races in other parts of the Unian Empire?"

            His nail blue eyes narrowed and he looked her in the face. His sudden attention made her muscles tense up. "No, humans aren't allowed to leave Earth, remember?"

            Deirdre gulped and looked him in the eye. "I just thought your team was here to glean the necessary favor to be given permission for a tour. If your attendance has nothing to do with racing, then is it political? Are you all openly supporting Unian rule?"

            Armand could barely believe his ears. This girl—no woman—was extremely influential and immune to Unian police, or stupid. No one questioned loyalty to the Empire this blatantly or openly while sitting elbow to elbow with the Unian ambassador's guests! Armand tapped the table top with a finger as his eyes burned a hole into his plate. This drew the attention of his comrades, because Armando's mood was worth noting.

            "I would prefer to say we're publicly neutral on the matter, but if this is an interview, I'm leaving," he said.

            Deirdre swore silently at herself. That had been a rather odd question for dinner. What else could she try? "Sorry, I guess I was a little pushy. If politics isn't your thing, talk to me about something that is."

            Armand gave her a strange look. "Ok, why do you want to talk to me?"

            Ick. "Because you're sitting right next to me. Is there supposed to be some kind of world-peace reason behind it?"

            "No."

            Deirdre could feel this getting nowhere. She shouldn't have assumed that as the oldest he was the leader, because he obviously wasn't chatty. If only she had known this would happen. Deirdre stood and set down her napkin. Several people who hadn't taken notice looked up and Armand could tell they thought he had done something. Deirdre picked up her purse and started for the door. 

            _Stupid male,_ she thought.

            As Cyrus turned his attention back to dinner, he caught movement near the young woman Armand had managed to scare away. Turning to see better, he could hardly believe his eyes. There was a grey-skinned creature slinking along the wall towards the room's main entrance. Just as the young woman reached the doorway, the thing leapt out of the shadows and pounced on her. For a moment it looked like no one had noticed, then several ladies at nearby tables started screaming and the doorman shrunk away, horrified.

            The table shook and Cyrus watched Travis and Dom leap over their comrades to help the damsel. Cyrus and Armand traded looks and also got to their feet. Plenty of people were doing their best to distance themselves as the woman screamed in pain. Cyrus felt his breath catch as the ghoul's face lifted and he saw the blood on its mouth. The ghoul ignored the swiftly approaching racecar drivers and turned back to its victim just as Travis reached him. He and Dom gripped the thing's supposed shoulders and tried to pry it off.

            Then Armand and Cyrus reached them with John, Kenneth and Aaron close behind. Each grabbed a limb and started pulling. Armand and Cyrus worked on unclenching the thing's fingers from the woman's arms. A piece of a chair, a leg from the looks of it, came down and smacked the creature in the head. It opened its mouth to let out a cry of pain just as the guys got it to let go. Travis ended up with the creature latched onto him. He managed to grab its head to keep it from biting him, but he looked like he could use a little help. 

            Cyrus looked around for someone from security who would have a weapon and saw an empty room. How had everyone gotten out so fast? Then he saw the young woman stir. He shot a glance at Travis and saw that the others were helping him and went over to the first victim. Her purple dress was stained black with blood from a neck wound. This was serious. Just as he was about to get out his phone and call an ambulance, her eyes opened and caught his. Red eyes, full of pain and something else.

            She started to sit up and he knelt beside her. "Stay down, I'll call the paramedics—"

            "No… NO!" she said, louder the second time. With surprising strength she managed to shove Cyrus out of the way and get to her feet. Blood dripped down her arms and front to leave darker dots on the red carpet. She faced the struggling drivers and shouted, "Move!" They jumped out of the way as if by instinct as she marched up and grabbed the grey creature's neck from behind. It looked at her with it's too big eyes and she gave him a cruel smile, teeth streaked with her own blood. "Die." Her hand pulsed with a bright light and the ghoul turned to as much grey dust. Trowa was breathing heavily and staring straight up at the woman he'd been trying to save not a minute before. He only bore a few scratches.

             She turned to the rest of them and cleared her throat. "We should probably leave," she said in a raspy voice. Then her eyes rolled back in her head and she dropped.


	4. Writing is Better Than Studying

Author's Note: Ta da! Another chapter, and the longest yet, I think. I had a LOT of fun writing this one, and will probably start on the next right away.

Thank-you Juni Juni, Rimneral Ayasugi, and Solus Nox! I luv oo!

          Deirdre woke up feeling more than just a little groggy. Her head and limbs were unusually heavy, and her eyes refused to focus on anything except abstract shapes. She took a deep breath and tried to sit up. A hand came out of nowhere and shoved her back down. It didn't take much to stop her ascent, and she fell back. "Where am I?"

          A deep voice she sort of recognized said, "We thought it would be best if you woke up with someone you recognized, so you're in my apartment on Glass Road near 35th."

          Something in the background moved and a second shadow appeared over her. "When your wounds started to heal up in front of our eyes we decided it was probably not a good idea to check you into a hospital. You've still got quite a bit of blood on you, though." This voice she didn't recognize. 

          "Who are you? I can't see really well…"

          There was a chuckle. "I'm Aaron, the guy next to me is Armand, whom you met at dinner." A gentle hand brushed her bangs aside. "You should probably continue to rest, unless you regain lost blood as fast as flesh."

          Deirdre shook her head slowly. She didn't know that she could survive that kind of attack. It had to be her Senshi powers. "I have no…idea…" She drifted off to sleep.

------dreamscape------

          Deirdre looked around. She was at a party, and the other Senshi were nearby. Everything was perfect, like a fairy tale. Then someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to see who. "May I have this dance?" asked a phantom voice. Deirdre had no idea who this guy was, she couldn't see his face very clearly. 

          "Of course," she answered, smiling. Deirdre then realized she was just reliving her memories from her past life. She followed her partner around the floor, noticing how smooth his steps were. "You dance very well."

          "Thank-you, Lady Pluto, I am flattered. It is said that you are not free with your praise." It was such a dangerously seductive voice. Deirdre shuddered inside Setsuna's mind and waited to hear the reply.

          "True." Wow, not much of a talker, Deirdre thought bitterly. Then there was a flash of light outside and everyone turned towards the garden. 

-------end dreamscape-------

          Cyrus smiled at the young women and tried to look calm as if this kind of thing happened every day. He and Aaron had come to Deirdre's apartment to drop her off and had been met at the door by a swarm of beautiful women. The girls had taken Deirdre and led her into a bedroom, then shoved Aaron and Cyrus onto the coach and set themselves about the room. The one with blond hair done up in two pigtails was glaring at them as if she were accusing them of hurting Deirdre.

          It was the brunette, Esta, who said, "We would like to know what happened."

          Cyrus did his best to keep his voice and body language neutral. "The other night my team and I were mysteriously invited to a dinner party at the Unian Embassy. Your friend, Deirdre was also there. When she got up to leave, a strange creature attacked her. We got the thing off of her, but she was the one who turned it to dust in the end."

          Aaron, the team's wannabe doctor, motioned towards his neck. "The monster bit her neck and caused her to lose a lot of blood. The wounds healed up in a few hours, but she's still weak from blood loss."

          Anisa stood. "Thank-you for doing so much to help our friend," she said. Cyrus and Aaron took this as their signal to leave and got to their feet. Anisa led them into the entryway, a small room that linked the kitchen and living and was within sight of the bedroom door. For this reason, Deirdre was able to see Anisa escorting the young men to the door.

          "Wait!" she cried, rushing to the door. The sudden movement hadn't been a smart idea on her part, and she clung to the doorframe to her room as she caught her breath and tried to clear her vision of stars. 

          Anisa leapt to her friend's aid. "You shouldn't get up yet," Anisa said quietly, protective concern in her dark blue eyes. 

          Deirdre smiled and patted Anisa's shoulder. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy." She looked at Cyrus and Aaron and waved them back towards the living room. "Please sit down, I need to explain a few things." Cyrus and Aaron traded looks and returned to the living room. Anisa helped Deirdre to the couch and everyone waited. 

          Shining, red eyes looked around the room and Deirdre took a couple deep breaths. "Cyrus, Aaron, once there were nine Senshi who became the rulers of the Solar system. Eight of them were the guardians of the ninth, a princess of the moon, tsuki no hime. They were killed when their kingdom on the moon was destroyed and reincarnated on Earth many years later. They founded Crystal Tokyo and the Silver Millennium. Now they have been reincarnated as us. However, there are supposed to be nine champions for the queens this time. If your team received invitations through the gate of time, then that's who you are.

          "I must admit, finding all of you at once is a lot better than tracking you each down like I had to for the Senshi." The girls found the floor and light fixtures amazingly interesting. 

          Aaron stroked his chin. "So you're saying we're destined to fight for these ladies?" Several of the 'ladies' sat up straighter.

          Deirdre paused. "I guess so. While we have inherited our previous appearances, our memories have been less…er…forthcoming." 

          Cyrus studied the young women and tried to put it all together in his mind. He had a hazy memory of what the first court of Crystal Tokyo looked like, and these girls certainly fit. He turned to Deirdre and said, "So we are not reincarnated? We're just destined to protect?" She nodded slowly. He leaned back and said, "Then there's a problem, because there's only seven of us on team Twilight."

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          Darin Cloud looked at the sky and leaned back with his hands beneath his head. Picnics were wonderful, even ones by yourself. It was a gorgeous day, and his boss had given him the day off. A very full shopping bag sat next to him on the blanket, ready to be broken into. Just as he sat up, someone tripped over his outstretched legs and landed on the blanket beside him. "Owie!" she cried.

          Darin blinked and rolled the blond over. "Are you…" his question died on his lips. He was looking into the most captivating pair of blue eyes in existence. For a long time they just stayed as they were, looking at each other's soul. Eventually, Darin found his voice. "Excuse me," he said, and he backed up.

          The blond sat up and waved her hands. "Oh no! It's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going and…well you were rather low to the ground." She then set about straightening her blue t-shirt and brushing the dirt off her jeans.

          Darin got the impression she was preparing to leave, and he was certain he didn't want that. "What's your name?" he asked.

          She smiled. "I'm Ursa, nice to meet you…?"

          He held out a hand and gave her a winning smile. "Darin, Darin Cloud." The moment Ursa's fingers touched his, there was a flash and the park was gone. Ursa and Darin stared at the world around them.

          "What happened?" Ursa asked.

          Darin couldn't keep his eyes off her. She was clothed in a form-fitting white dress with ornamental wings. Her hair was silver and done up in odangos. A crescent moon shone on her forehead, casting feelings of warmth and love. "Um, I can't say. You look gorgeous."

          She blushed and looked at her dress before looking him over. "You don't look so bad yourself. Hm, could this be the Moon Kingdom? Or is it Crystal Tokyo?"

          "I don't think we're on Earth, because it's down there," Darin said, pointing out the window. Ursa walked over to the balcony and sighed. 

          "It's so beautiful. And we'll rule it once again."

          Darin frowned. "What do you mean?"

          Ursa's ears turned bright red and she said quietly, "The first time we were alive, I was a princess of the Moon and you a prince of the Earth. We were killed during an attack on my kingdom and my mother sent us to Earth to be reborn. We met the second time in Japan and founded Crystal Tokyo…" Her eyes met his. "We just met again."

          The dream faded and they were in each other's arms, holding on for dear life.

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          "We're still missing one, but not too bad," Min Jung observed. She combed her fingers through her hair a few times, a habit she'd picked up in this life, and looked at the starry-eyed Darin and Ursa. 

          Flora tapped her foot. "If you two could stop gazing lovingly into each others eyes for a minute we could start the meeting." Slowly, Darin and Ursa turned to face the rest of the group. Since the champions had joined them, Deirdre's living room had become too small for everyone and they were now holding their first meeting in the same park where Ursa had 'run into' Darin.

          Deirdre smiled at them. "It's wonderful that you've found each other. Not only does it mean another champion has been found, but he's our Queen's soulmate." Then she looked around at the group taking stock. The guys were on one side, the girls on another, with Darin and Ursa linking the two. _Worse than school children…_Deirdre thought. "In light of the recent attacks that have been popping up in the city, I think it would be prudent of us to set up some kind of schedule for when people are available to keep watch over the city."

          "To do what?" Kenneth asked, his arms folded and eyes closed. His shaggy brown hair fell over his forehead and into his eyes, which he now opened and turned on Deirdre. "You weren't handling yourself very well against that creature the other week."

          Deirdre blushed a bit and could tell the others weren't very comfortable either. "Um, we don't know where our transformation sticks are. I also don't know what kind of abilities the champions have—yet." She looked down at the grass and brushed the back of her hand against a particularly long leaf, which had missed the mower. "The first time around they weren't necessary, the second time yes, but Artemis and Luna had them. I have no idea where we'd find them now…hold on a minute." Deirdre got an idea and stood up. She walked away from the group into the bushes and brought out the time staff. "Let's try the gate again," she said as she raised the staff and concentrated.

          Nothing happened. Deirdre swallowed and tried again. A nervous feeling was building in her stomach and she looked at the staff in her hands. Why wasn't it working? The nervous feeling became almost painful, and then she heard a scream. Deirdre ran through the bushes towards the hysteric cries and broke through in time to see a grey monster holding a young woman up by the neck. It was a bigger and more muscular version of the thing that had attacked her before.

          Deirdre gripped the staff tightly and ran forward. "Stop!" she shouted, and she stabbed the creature's side with the lower end of the wand. The creature jerked to the side and lost its hold on the victim. She fell to the ground and bent over gasping. "Run!" Deirdre shouted, keeping her eyes on the creature. The thing lunged forward and she jumped out of the way. It turned back towards its original prey and Deirdre ran in again.

          The monster had guessed she'd do that, and swung around to smack her with its fist. As she flew through the air, Deirdre thought of how Kenneth was right. They couldn't fight without transforming, they were useless. She wasn't even able to call the gate of time anymore. She hit the ground and rolled a few times. When she stopped she got to her feet slowly and spun around to face the bushes. Someone was coming.

          It was her friends. Deirdre shot them a weak smile and said, "So nice of you to join us!" Ursa and the other Senshi ran forward without hesitating, the guys close behind. Deirdre turned back and headed for the monster with determination. Maybe one of them would remember how to use the power she'd caught a glimpse of at the embassy. She couldn't remember doing it, but Cyrus had insisted she turned the monster to dust and she believed him.

          They formed a circle around the grey creature and it spun around, desperate for an escape. Then it found a spot where the only occupant was rather weak-looking and a few feet from those on either side of her. Deirdre was just coming up to stand beside Ursa as the thing came running their way like a charging bull. Without a second thought, Deirdre shoved Ursa out of the way.

          The creature's arm went right through Deirdre's abdomen. The time staff flew from her hands and stuck itself into the ground at Esta's feet, the red orb on top glowing. Everyone stared as the creature threw Deirdre to the ground and gave a howl of triumph. There was no way her quick healing talent would help her now. She lay on the ground like a broken doll, her red eyes clouded. Nobody moved.

          "D—Deirdre!!!!!" Ursa screamed. She was bathed in light and sprung at the monster wielding Uranus' space sword. The creature tried to block, but she cut right through its arm and across its chest. In an instant the monster was ash blowing in the wind. Ursa, Sailor Uranus, turned to her fallen friend and knelt beside her with tears falling down her cheeks. "Deirdre…"


	5. A Bit Jammy a Bit Clangy

Author's Note: Apparently the last chapter was a little confusing, so I added some dividers to neaten things up and reloaded it. This was a tough chapter for me, I didn't want to give up too much information, so please review.

Thank-you Juni Juni and Rimneral Ayasugi! I take your words to heart.

          Deirdre opened her eyes and looked around. Where was she? Wasn't this…her house? A very bewildered Deirdre wandered from room to room, seeing her home as it had been in her childhood. Back when she lived with her mother in the suburbs of Crystal Tokyo had been a long time ago. Her father had never been a part of her life, and her mother had died when she turned thirteen. She'd struck out on her own instead of searching for relatives, and had completely forgotten about her childhood home.

          In the last room she found a familiar silhouette sitting in front of the window reading a book. Suddenly it was as if the past ten years hadn't happened, and Deirdre ran forward to give her mother a hug. "What're you reading? Is it any good?" she asked.

          Her mother patted her arms and Deirdre knelt by her side. Her mother had been so beautiful, silver hair and lively pink eyes without a line on her face. The woman smiled sadly, as was her way, and set the book aside. "If you're here, then something has gone dreadfully wrong. You shouldn't come to this realm for some time yet, and even then it should be to your own home with your own loved one."

          Deirdre frowned. "What are you talking about? I'm home."

          The lady sighed and shook her head. "You have to go back and continue our line. It is your duty as the heir to the ginzuishou, the crystal which is energy in its purest form and source of much of the Serenities' power." Then she tapped her chin. "Of course, we haven't called ourselves that for generations. I suppose the age of the Serenity Queens is gone and you'll be the beginning of a new line."

          The adult Deirdre began to weigh in on this and she started to understand. "That's why the time gate didn't like me using it, because I'm not supposed to." Her mother nodded. Deirdre got to her feet. "_I _am the Moon Princess!?! I don't look anything like her!"

          "You excite so easily, one thing Pluto does not do. While you may be reincarnation of the Senshi of Time, you certainly do not descend from her or carry her powers. However, as the queen of all the Senshi, you do have some dominion over each of their powers." She picked up her book again and said, "Back with you! Let me continue my reading while I wait for your father." Deirdre opened her mouth to ask who her father was, but found herself falling from her old home and landing in a body wracked with pain. _Heal yourself!_ Her mother's voice demanded.

          Deirdre closed her eyes to the pain and let her thoughts linger on the warmth resting next to her heart. 

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          Sailor Uranus gasped. "Sh—her eyes!" she said. The others came closer as Deirdre started to glow. The glow centered itself on her chest and spread throughout her body. Uranus crawled back as Deirdre lifted up from the ground and turned into a pillar of golden light. When the light cleared, Deirdre stood in the grass wearing an elegant, white gown with a golden scepter in her hands. Her hair was arranged in the odango style Ursa had always tried to get her hair to stay in. She opened her eyes and looked around. 

          "I'm back…" she said in a breathy voice. Then she shuddered and began to fall. Armand was closest and caught her. Her gown and scepter vanished, leaving her in her birthday suit. Cyrus quickly divested himself of his shirt and wrapped her in it before holding out his arms to take her. Armand and Cyrus just looked at each other for a minute, then Armand handed Deirdre over.

          "We'd better get out of here," John said. Everyone heartily agreed and headed for Deirdre's apartment by some silent agreement. When they arrived, Ursa used her key to open the door and the crowd went into the living room while Cyrus put Deirdre in bed. When he joined his comrades, they all looked at him, waiting for him to say something. Deirdre had been the unofficial leader of the group, and now Cyrus found himself in that position as a result of being the head of the Twilight team. 

          "Obviously some things have changed since you were all reborn," he said from the doorway, his sharp eyes looking at the Senshi. 

          Esta held out her hands and the time staff appeared. "We all thought we would be the same people we were before, but because we didn't die without having children our powers were passed down." She spoke calmly and evenly, gazing into the red garnet on her weapon.

          Flora tapped her lower lip. "If that's so, then we're just going to have to wait to find out what powers we have. I certainly am not aware of any of the Senshi being _my_ great to the nth power grandmother."

          "And we don't know if we had a past life!" Dom said, referring to team Twilight. "Then there's the whole business of missing a guardian/champion. How are we supposed to know who to protect? With the exception of Darin, obviously." Darin and Ursa blushed, their hands squeezing each other in support.

          "I think it's sort of a relief to not have to be queen," Ursa said quietly. She looked around at everyone. "If anyone should rule, it's Deirdre. She has all the experience of the original Sailor Pluto in her, and there's just something about her that makes it seem right." Then she brought a hand up to her hair and everyone noticed the odangos were gone and her hair was in plain pigtails. "Besides, I didn't inherit my past life's finesse with a hairbrush."

          Her sister laughed aloud and the others smiled or chuckled. Cyrus heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Deirdre slowly walking towards him. "You should be asleep, still," he warned. She gave him a shaky smile. 

          "Nah, too much to explain," she said slowly. Everyone heard and room was made on the couch for her to sit down. Cyrus helped her sit instead of fall onto the worn cushions and she thanked him. 

          When she opened her mouth to speak, Travis said, "We already know the powers didn't go to who we expected. So why don't you skip that and just tell us what else you know."

          Deirdre's mouth snapped shut and stayed that way for a minute until she took a deep breath and said, "While I was healing myself with the ginzuishou, I learned a lot from it. Apparently, our souls are bound to it in a much stronger way than we thought. Despite long lives which begin with the fight for peace, we will be forced to return again and again until the end of the universe or the ginzuishou is destroyed completely." She paused. "I don't know any specifics about who has what power, but I do know that the champions are a more recent addition to our fellowship."

          Darin cleared his throat. "Is this their first life then? Because we're pretty sure I've been around before."

          Deirdre shook her head. "Team Twilight lived a couple centuries ago during the Dark Times. They all died defending a peace they had fought many wars for." Her red eyes met Armand's ice blue ones. "You were all pilots of the Gundams."

          Those who knew more about the Dark Times other than that they had been a time of war, recognized the word 'Gundam.' The Gundams were the symbol of how harsh and misguided the human race had become after Crystal Tokyo had lost its influence over the people. "The Dark Times, no wonder we were reborn as your protectors," John said from his corner of the room. He was the most bookish of the drivers. "Forgotten magic, a race to arms, and the evolution of the ultimate killing machines known as the Gundam Pilots." He spoke as if to himself, but everyone knew he was doing this for their sake. He looked at his hands. "As hard as it is to believe that I was a soldier in a past life, I wouldn't put it in the impossible range."

          Dom scratched his head. "Speak for yourself, how could I—or Aaron—kill anybody?"

          Minako held up a hand. "We aren't exactly the same people we were before because our lives here have been different. You guys aren't assassins, you're racecar drivers!" She threw an arm over a furiously blushing Aaron's shoulders and said, "The only thing you'll be killing now is demons."

          Travis sat back and crossed his arms. "Joy."

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          Deirdre scowled and tossed the bill she'd been reading across her desk. Since she'd awakened to her new existence as the heir to Crystal Tokyo all the Senshi had discovered their calling and started training with their powers. The champions and Deirdre were the only ones who lived independent of their guardians, and right now she was facing a major problem. She would have to go without power and heat next month or not eat. As the warm, fall weather hastily turned frigid, this became a major problem. 

          She looked around and sighed. Her job at the museum wasn't paying enough, and hiring herself out as a research assistant always took more time than the money was worth. What was she going to do? The account her mother had set up before her death was still closed to her because she wasn't married yet. (It was some condition or other her mother had included in her will, who was quite the romantic.) What new job could she try to get that would let her train to save the world and keep her current job at the museum?

          For now, the bills had to get paid. Deirdre picked up her power bill and went to her computer. A few keystrokes later her account was nearly empty and she went to the classifieds to find something flexible. 

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          _In a dark corner of a crumbling realm, a puff of cloud swirled as if caught in a fierce wind. 'Must get out, must get out, must find…something. Yes, I need something…' It thought as it circled around. In the growing chaos a circle of light started to flicker. As the flickering settled into an almost constant glow, our gaseous friend could see a bright world beyond. 'Maybe it's there…' Just as the dark chaos of its home started to collapse, our soon-to-be-villain entered the world of the Senshi._


	6. Close Encounters of the OTHER Kind

Author's Note: Sorry for taking so long to get this one out, but I've been trying to come up with a good ending that won't make people threaten me. Opinions are good, I LOVE opinions, so please tell me yours! This will make the story that much easier to write. Thank-you to all my dedicated readers and reviewers.

          Deirdre looked up from the counter and gulped. She'd only been working at Dusty Auto for a month or so, and in that time she hadn't considered what she'd say if she ran into any of the guys. They were racecar drivers, where else would they go shopping? The network was only good for searching for products, and purchases made online had a habit of never showing up. Armand was walking towards the main desk where Dusty himself sat, ready to assist customers in their respective projects. Deirdre prayed that he wouldn't see her at her restocking duties. 

          As she resumed her work, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Deirdre froze and turned around slowly. She smiled at the little boy standing awkwardly with his hands behind his back. "Can I help you?" Deirdre asked.

          The boy looked around nervously and brought a piece of paper out from behind him. He slowly held it out. "Um, I need to find a few things—for my dad." Deirdre turned the request over in her mind as she eyed the printout. A picture of a hopper car, the Unian version of the crystal-powered hover vehicles used during the Silver Millennium, with a few lines going to the hood image with the names of the necessary parts. Deirdre thought it was pretty straightforward, but the boy looked about ten and didn't seem all that sure of himself.

          Deirdre picked up her box of wire clippers and started for the back of the store. She dropped off her load just inside the door and then took the boy's hand and led him to the proper aisle. Only a few of the parts were readily available, the rest would have to be ordered from the factory. Deirdre signed the part request form and then looked at the child. She bent down and pointed to a line on the form. "Write your name here and then I'll send your father an e-mail when the parts are in." She watched as a trembling hand wrote an barely legible name and then led the boy to a check-out line. It wasn't the shortest, but Mrs. Neal always gave the children cinnamon candy while she took care of their parent's purchases.

          Just as Deirdre picked up the box of wire cutters from the back, Armand and the Santa Clause-twin Dusty came in, arguing about some part vs. another. She paused, then quickly turned and marched towards the stacks of supply boxes, praying that there was another one left out for her to take to the front. The argument stopped when Armand said, "Deirdre? Since when did you work here?" Deirdre would have liked to wince, but turned around to face her comrade-in-arms and her employer. 

          She gave him a smile. "I started just over a month ago, the museum doesn't pay very well." And I had to quit, she added silently. Her odd hours had made the security guards suspicious and she'd been asked to explain her behavior. When her lame excuses didn't seem to be working anymore, she'd quit rather than submit to another questioning. Dusty had advertised for someone strong enough to raise a 12-type engine to help in the store, but had taken her on when she proved herself of above average strength. 

          Armand frowned, so did Dusty. "When do you work at the museum?" Dusty asked. Deirdre's mind raced. She had to think of something crafty enough to make Armand believe her, not so easy with his suspicious nature.

          Deirdre smiled. "Mostly it's research I do at home." She held her breath, not daring to hope…

          Dusty smiled. "I see. Well, I guess folks have gotta make a living. Armand, if you'll excuse me I'll go call in those parts you wanted." Dusty turned back to the front of the store, leaving Deirdre and Armand alone. Deirdre turned and bent to pick up a box.

          "You're not working at the museum anymore," the rise in tone that would have made it a question was missing, and Deirdre sighed.

          "No, but I didn't want Dusty to think that he wasn't paying me enough. He has this kind of burning need to help people, and if he knew I was living on what he gives me he would probably try to pay me more." She ginned at the box cover. "He's a nice guy to work for, even if it doesn't take a degree to restock shelves." Then she stood up and turned to face Armand.

          He had come closer and was standing right behind her. When she turned she smacked right into him and lost her balance. Armand grabbed her arms to keep her from falling, but had overestimated her weight and pulled her to him with enough force to send them both over. Deirdre landed on top of him with a quiet "oof." For a few seconds they just lay on the concrete floor, trying to calm their rushing hearts. Then Deirdre tried to roll off, but Armand reached up held her around the waist. She looked down at him, a light frown on her face. "Arma—" He cut her off by bringing her head down and capturing her lips in a kiss.

          Deirdre had to admit she had dreamed of a moment like this, but the man she was with had always been a hazy someone. The kiss stunned her with its gentleness, it seemed too soft to be the cool Armand. Almost as soon as these thoughts had flashed through her mind she heard footsteps outside the outer doors. She pulled away and said, "Somebody's coming!" Armand let her go then and they both got to their feet. Deirdre went to the stacks of boxes just as the garage door was raised and Dusty led someone in.

          "Armand! Still here distracting my employees?" Dusty teased. Deirdre gulped and felt a light blush on her cheeks as she picked up a box and raced for the door to the front of the store. As she shoved items onto hooks she kept having flashbacks of that kiss. It wasn't like it was her first kiss, but it had been the most unexpected. After she finished with these she'd go home.

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          Cyrus watched Armand carefully. After he and Dusty had showed up at the shop Armand had been strangely silent. Not that silence was an odd thing for the man, but every now and then his mouth would twitch as if it wanted to smile. Right now they were doing the final preparation for one of their more prestigious races, the Crystal Cup. For this race Armand was in the driver's seat, and Cyrus watched as Kenneth gave the car it's traditional smack with a towel to say everything was in perfect working order. Armand climbed in and they watched their newest car roll out onto the track.

          As they went to their positions for the start of the race, Cyrus cast a look into the stands. There were a bunch of seats near the VIP box that were occupied by a group of very special ladies. He caught the shine of dark green hair and felt himself relax. If Deirdre had managed to make it, then all the Senshi were present.  The recent lull in demon attacks had made all the Senshi rather jumpy. They didn't count the lack of activity as a string of good luck. At least one of the girls was with their future queen at all times. The protectors of the protectors had been rather depressed as of late. Their lack of obvious powers or fighting skills made them feel like fifth wheels. 

          Cyrus had noticed the new sounds of the workplace, the almost constant ringing of cell phones. His wasn't nearly as busy as the younger guys'. Darin spent most of his office time working with his headset on and a smile on his face. It was obvious to all who he was talking to at those times, Dom, Travis and Aaron were the same. Hoping to put his team's hearts at ease, Cyrus had managed to get a block of tickets for the Crystal Cup. He had originally thought this was a good idea because that race was Armand's, and he wasn't the type to let who was watching get to his head. 

          He hoped.

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          Esta sat in the stand with the other Senshi and a Coke in one hand. She knew what was going to happen. Upon her first transformation into Pluto she had acquired all her memories for the course of her life. She'd missed a couple of days of classes as she adjusted mentally and physically to her knew knowledge. The hardest thing to get used to had been the constant shifting of the details in her memories. As time passed people made decisions that changed the future in varying ways, changing her memories. Right now she had seen five different endings for this race, but the last had been the most upsetting. 

          Deirdre shifted in her seat and reached into her purse to take out a bag of popcorn. Esta watched the woman closely. She wanted desperately to warn everybody about what was about to happen, but there was still time…there was still time to change it. Esta leaned forward and whispered in Deirdre's ear, "Will you come with me to the restroom?" Deirdre shrugged and got up. The other Senshi watched quietly as the two left and went up the steps.

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          Deirdre tapped her foot impatiently. How long was Esta going to take? Looking at her watch, she realized the race had started. "Come on, Esta! The race has started!" she called. Five minutes later they were walking back to their seats. As Deirdre and Esta sat, Anisa turned in her seat to give them both a glare. 

          "Where'd you go? Newark?" she said. Deirdre cast a look at Esta, who shrugged innocently. 

          "Some of us take fifteen minutes…so how's it going?" Deirdre asked.

          Flora smiled. "Armand is doing well, just see for yourself." Deirdre watched the cars as they came around and smiled. The lemon-yellow of the Twilight team was pulling aside for a pit stop. The girls collectively leaned forward to watch the fast dance of their champions around the car before it set off again. 

          "Whoa," Ursa and Flora said. They grinned at each other and turned their attention back to the racetrack.

          As the cars came around for their last circuit, Deirdre began to feel sick. She couldn't imagine what it was, certainly not the popcorn, she's brought that from home. Then she bit her lip and tried to keep her eyes on the cars. The pain got worse. The Senshi and other spectators were getting excited and the quiet moan that escape her lips only added to the din of raised voices. Anisa stood up in her excitement, forcing Deirdre to stand in order to see. Just as she straightened to her full height, she saw the yellow car pass the finish line, then she couldn't make her legs stay straight and she collapsed into her seat.

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          Esta looked down at her queen and smiled sadly. The best of all the possibilities had happened, of course Deirdre probably couldn't understand that right now. Esta packed up her stuff quickly and tapped Flora's shoulder. "I'm going to get Deirdre a drink, think you could make her feel more comfortable?" It was only then that Flora noticed Deirdre had passed out and not just sat down. The girls scrabbled to lay down jackets and purses on the concrete walkway before laying Deirdre down.

          Meanwhile, Esta had bought a water and was heading for the door under the stairs that led to a service hall that went directly to the garages. She walked briskly through, head high, ignoring and being ignored, until she got to her destination. The team was going over the car before sending it to the truck, not paying attention. She cleared her throat and they looked up. 

          She walked over to Cyrus and pulled him aside. "Cyrus," she said in a quiet and low voice, "I need you to go up to where the rest of the girls are and bring this water with you. Tell them I'll be back shortly." He looked ready to disagree. "Just do it, Cyrus, you'll see why." Taking her word for it, he took the water and walked away.


End file.
